Who was/is Michael Ballew ? - CDs, Vinyl LPs, DVD and more

In 1980 I took a trip to Los Angeles to show several of my songs to a friend of mine, John English. At the time John was working for Val Garay who owned a state of the art studio, Record One in Sherman Oaks, and was at the peak of his career after producing and winning awards from the latest Kim Carnes 'Betty Davis Eyes' album.

John liked the song Bob Moulds and I wroteDaddy Don't Live In Heavenso much, he suggested we cut it along with several other songs I wrote to see if he could find a record deal for me. The sessions came out great and every major label we went to wanted to sign me on the power of this one song. We settled on Liberty Records, the newly revived label of the past, that was now under the EMI America umbrella.

Liberty was so sure they had a hit and potential star on their hands, they gave us a handsome budget to complete an album. Although six of my original compositions are on this album, the top dogs at the label thought it best for John to take a trip to Nashville to collect the remainder of the material. They wanted the emphasis on dance music instead of lyrical content so we proceeded with what we felt was the most danceable, commercial songs he could find.

Just about the time Liberty releasedDaddyKenny Rogers sued Liberty Records and won 13 million dollars in back royalties. We fought with them tooth and nail, but it became clear they just didn't have enough money or resources left to properly promote all the singles they were releasing. Of course they were concentrating on their established artists, but even without adequate promotion,Daddy Don't Live In Heavenadvanced onto the charts. Liberty then quickly released a tune John and I wrotePretending Fool and with no promotion at all, climbed faster and further on the charts than the first single.

1-CD with 16-page booklet, 11 tracks. Playing time approx. 33 mns. In 1981, Austin Texas-based Bear Family recording star Michael Ballew was signed to Liberty Records. Two singles were released, Your Daddy Don't Live In Heaven and Pretending Fool . Both hit...

1-CD with 20-page booklet, 13 tracks. Playing time approx. 45 mns. Making what they used to call 'outlaw' music, Michael Ballew has absolutely nothing in common with the singing Ken and Barbie dolls coming out of Nashville. This is spare, underproduced music that...

1-CD with 32-page booklet, 19 tracks. Playing time approx. 70 mns. 'Now this,' said one reviewer, 'is country. Just a couple of guys in a Texas honky tonk.' Michael Ballew 's songs are a tapestry of Texas life and music. A lot of country, a little swing, a taste...

1-CD with 12-page booklet, 22 tracks. Playing time approx. 66 mns. Michael is one of the new acts on Bear Family. A native Texan, he writes exceptionally fine cameos of life and love, and sings in a rough-hewn voice. On this collection, he salutes his home state....

(2005/SOUL OF THE HEART) 18 tracks (63:40) I can say in all honesty... this is truly home grown music from the Heart of Texas, performed with the same musicians I work with night after night. It's so easy in this digital age for musicians to record their own CD....